Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-03
Southern Iron.

The present year promises to be very
prosperous one. The indications are that
the number of miles Of railroad that will
b. built Will be greater than last year.
In the South especially work Will be be-
gun ard pushed forward vigorously on
large number OF roads which are already
projected. Tho South has been ste4liy
growing INTO prominence for several
years. For the last few months the at
tention of capitalists has been directed
towards the advantages which she DOS
sesses IN very marked manner. Mr..
Blaine's statements relative to the wares
received by cOloTed labOrers,
which were generally condemned by
the Southern press, dld her no harm. They
did her good, in fact, because they
afforded an opportunity which would not
otherwise have been presented OF
showing the actual condition of the
| laboring classes in the South, and also of
directing attention to the vast unde-
veloped resources Of the Southern States.
The consequence is that capital is seek
ing the South to far greater extent than
ever before. Judge Kelley's statements
OF the South have had excellent eff c.,
and while he may not live to see the seat
OF the iron industries of the country loca-
ted in the South, it is perfectly safe to say
that there are men now living, and en-
gaged in the iron business, who will.
The iron producers OF the North are al
ready greatly alarmed with respect to
the rapid increase in the production OF
iron in the Southern States, and some OF
them begin to fear that the time is not
distant when the Northern iron mills will
have to put out their fires. That time,
however, is quite distant. While the pro-
duction OF iron in the Southern States
will increase wonderfully every
year, the demand in the
South for it will about keep pace
with the increase. Some Southern
iron will find It's way to the
Northern market, but If the vast South
ern territory develops as rapidly as it
promises to do the main part ofthe South.
ern product will be required at the South.
The Northern mills, therefore, will still
have, to great extent, the control of the
Northern market. The demand
of that market will, OF course,
gradually fall off. while that OF
the market ofthe South and West, which
Will be supplied by the Southern mills,
will steadily and rapidly increase. The
| railroad building in future will be in
the States which draw their iron supplies
| almost wholly from the South.
In 1884 about 100000 tons of Southern
pig iron were sold in the Northern
market, and in 1885 about the
same amount. For the year lust
closed 140, 900 tons found market at the
N rth. In 1885, however, the South made
712, S35 tons of pig iron and In 1886 over
1000, 900 tons. These figures show that
the South is largely absorbing the pig
iron she is making, and from the number
of Southern railroads which are certain to
be built IN the next few years /: is fair to
conclude that, however rapidly the pro-
ductlon OF iron at the South may increase
no very large percentage of it will reach
the Northern market. Eventually, how
ever, the South will supply the country
with iron because her mines of coal and
iron are inexhaustible, and she can
make iron cheaper than the North can.